An Angel for Christmas
by iloveromance
Summary: On Christmas Eve, Niles has a dream on the massage table. But is it really just a dream? Yet another story from a scene in "Perspectives on Christmas"


In the darkened room as the sandalwood candles pleased his senses, Niles was finally able to relax; having almost entirely forgotten about his nightmare involving a Christmas tree... in the elevator of Frasier's building of all places!

This had turned out to be the worst Christmas Eve ever.

His eyes still closed, he sighed at the way his tension seemed to melt from his aching legs. The gentle hands kneading massaging, taking the memories of the nightmare with it.

Instead they were replaced with something even better.

"I can't tell you how good that feels." He said dreamily. "I've never had a massage quite like this before."

"Well I'm glad."

He gasped in surprise and raised his head to find not the stuffy masseuse but his angel who was standing before him, tenderly massaging his leg. Almost instantly his heart rated increased at the sight of her. Wearing a white shirt and pants, she was so beautiful she nearly took his breath away.

"As long as you're so relaxed, maybe I should just give you your Christmas present now."

He gasped in surprise "Wh-what?"

She spoke no words, but climbed on top of the massage table, her body hovering over his. And then she kissed him.

But not just any kiss. It was a kiss that left him hungry with passion for her. He gave into it with everything he had and he was grateful for the dim lighting and the closed door. The kisses deepened until suddenly-

"OW!"

At the pain, his eyes flew open, revealing that the blissful moment had been a dream.

_Damn._

He raised his head in an attempt to glare at the masseuse. Although he was grateful to Frasier for this gift, he was disgusted by the fact that someone with his brother's lack of schooling would hire someone so incompetent.

Masseuses were supposed to make people feel better, not to cause them pain!

"You woke me up!" he yelled.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane."

But the voice wasn't that of the incompetent masseuse. It was sweet and that accent. Why if he hadn't known any better he would swear that it was...

Not possible.

Perhaps he was in such an emotional trance that he had begun to see things. For surely-

At that moment the figure stepped out of the shadows causing Niles to pull himself to a sitting position. He could only blink in stunned disbelief, giving no thought whatsoever to the fact that he was wearing little more than a towel.

"Daphne..."

"I-I'm so sorry." She said again.

He stared at her angelic face, made even more beautiful by the candlelight.

Suddenly aware of his attire, his heart began to race and he blinked once to make sure that this wasn't a dream.

Quickly he cinched the towel securely around his waist.

"Wh-where's the masseuse? Th-the one Frasier hired to-."

"Oh... He had to leave."

Niles ran his hand through his hair, unable to believe this was happening.

"L-leave? But why?"

"I-I'm not sure. Your brother said something about his son being sick."

"B-but Freddie's in Boston so how-."

Daphne laughed. "Oh, Dr. Crane, the _masseuse's_ son not your brother's! I 'm sure Frederick is just fine!"

Realizing what he'd said, Niles felt completely ridiculous. "Right... I wasn't thinking clearly. B-but what are you doing here? Not that I... mind of course."

"Well, it wasn't fair that the masseuse left before finishing your mas-sage and since I'm the only one with experience in that field, I just... I-I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable."

"Y-you didn't. I was just... surprised to see you. B-but if you want to... um... finish.. I'd be happy to-."

"Oh, of course. Just lie on your stomach and I'll do your back."

As carefully as possible he did as she asked, blissfully aware of her hands, kneading and massaging his arms, shoulders and back. When she began massaging his calf muscles he sighed dreamily.

"Okay, I'm going to work on your ankle and I promise not to hurt you again."

"It wasn't your fault. That damn Christmas tree-."

"Yes that must have been a terrible ordeal."

He sighed deeply. "Yes, it was. But I feel much better now. Wonderful in fact. I can't remember when I've felt so relaxed."

"Well, I'm glad."

He raised his head, suddenly expecting her to recreate the heavenly dream he'd had earlier.

"Is something wrong?" She was asking now.

"Um... No. I was just thinking about someone-um, something."

Daphne stopped massaging his ankle and moved toward him, taking his hand.

"I'm so sorry." She said for the third time.

Niles sat up and clasped her hand in both of his.

"Daphne, I mean no disrespect, but why do you keep apologizing to me? You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

"I meant about your wife."

This revelation caught Niles completely off-guard.

"M-my wife? You mean Maris?"

"Yes."

The word was so quiet that he barely heard her.

"B-but why would you be apologizing for Maris? I mean, she's hardly worth-."

Daphne reached out and touched his cheek, a gesture that made him shiver.

"You miss her."

He pondered this for a moment.

"Well, I suppose I do, but it's more of the companionship aspect than-."

"It's all right. I know what it feels like to miss someone. How much it hurts. Even if they're not really g-gone."

When her voice broke on the last word, she let go of his hand and turned away, sobbing quietly.

"Heavens! Daphne, what's wrong?"

He touched her shoulder, gently turning her to face him. And the sight of her tear-streaked face broke his heart.

"I'm sorry." She said in a quivering voice.

He rubbed her shoulder, hoping that the small gesture would calm her.

"What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

"Well, it all seems a bit silly now, but after you and I were talking about your father goin' down to that church with Eddie, he started saying things."

"Things? What sort of things? Dear God, has he been criticizing you again? I know it's Christmas Eve, but he has no right to-."

She shook her head as the tears fell.

"He said nothing of the kind, although insulting me cooking would have been better than what he did say."

Niles shuddered, thinking of the many horrible things that his father could have put into her head.

"What did he say?" He asked as quietly as possible.

"H-he stared talking about how he didn't have much time left and how he was going to see Jesus and how it's all over so fast! I-I couldn't help meself Dr. Crane!I thought he was _dying_!"

"Oh Daphne..."

"A-and then when he started talkin' about that stupid Christmas pageant, I just... I got so angry when he laughed at me!"

Niles couldn't have felt more horrible if he had been the one who treated Daphne so cruelly. He reached for her but she turned and began pacing the tiny space before him.

"And then I couldn't stop thinkin' about what if it were really true?"

"What if _what_ were true?"

"About your father! I was sittin in me room earlier, tryin' to forget those things he'd said but all I could think of was what if he really were dying? I just... I love him so much and-."

When she began to sob again, Niles climbed off of the table and took her in his arms.

She leaned her head against his bare chest, damping his skin with her tears.

He held her close and let her cry while he gently rubbed her back until she finally looked up.

"Oh God, look what I've done to you! You're hardly dressed and here I am blubberin' like an idiot!"

"You're not an idiot, Daphne. Far from it."

Daphne smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. You're so sweet."

His face burned where her lips had been and he found himself remembering to breathe. And when she was gone Niles returned to his room and changed into his pajamas, wishing so much that he could hold Daphne in his arms and never let go.  
No wonder she'd been so upset.

Silently he cursed his father for letting her think that he was dying. But apparently he found the situation funny.

Well it wasn't funny at all. And as soon as he changed his clothes, he was going to walk into the hallway, knock on his father's door and give his father a piece of his mind!

How dare Martin treat Daphne with such disrespect! Couldn't he see that she loved him?

As quietly as possible he opened the door and stepped into the hallway surprised to find the living room dark, except for the flickering of the television.

With an irritated sigh, he crept further into the room expecting to find his father glued to the television set.

But instead he heard the faint sounds of crying, coming from the sofa.

_Daphne..._

He crossed to the sofa and gently sat down beside her.

Almost instantly she leaned against him, prompting him to take her in his arms and sob into his robe.

He held her close, rubbing her back while she cried. The whispered words of comfort seemed to calm her sadness, but it simply wasn't enough.

"Daphne, I know that you're upset and God knows that no one can blame you." He whispered into her ear. "I don't know how I would feel if I thought that Dad was dying. I just... I couldn't take it. I-."

He looked up to find his father standing before him.

"I was hoping you'd still be up. Listen I'm sorry as hell about this, Daphne. I guess I wasn't thinking when I said all of those things to you. No wonder you thought I was dying. And it means a lot to me that you were so worried about me. So... I'm gonna say something I've never said to you before... I love you, Daphne. There. I said it. Kind of figured she wouldn't answer me. Can't say that I blame her. I wouldn't answer me either. Merry Christmas, Kids."

"Merry Christmas, Dad."

When Niles turned his attention back to Daphne he couldn't help but smile. For his angel was sound asleep on his shoulder.

"I love you, Daphne." He whispered into her hair. "That goes for myself and for Dad."

"Love you too... Niles." Daphne replied sleepily.

They were the sweetest words that Niles had ever heard. As quietly as possible he covered them both with a blanket and turned out the living room light before kissing her cheek.

Soon he drifted off to sleep in her arms.

But he didn't dream.

For his dream had already come true.

**THE END **


End file.
